AU Football To Honor Three Past Teams In 2017

Three of the best teams in Ashland University's near-100-season football history will be honored during 2017 home games at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field.

Ashland's 1967 team will be recognized at the 2017 home opener on Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. vs. Ohio Dominican, the 1997 squad will be featured on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. against Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rival Ferris State, and the 2007 team will return on Senior Day, Nov. 11 at 1 p.m. vs. GLIAC foe Saginaw Valley State.

1967 – The program's second undefeated team, and head coach Dr. Fred Martinelli's first, at 8-0-1. Ashland, which ended the season 12th in the country in the NAIA poll, outscored its opponents 297-78, and the Eagle defense pitched three shutouts. Quarterback Mike Healy was the first Ashland player to throw for 20 touchdown passes in a season. Linebacker Len Pettigrew later was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1971, and played in the World Football League for the Philadelphia Bell in 1974-75.

1997 – Ashland's second playoff team which finished at 9-2, reeled off seven straight wins to end the regular season and won the Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference championship. The Eagles finished that season ranked No. 12 in NCAA Division II. Kicker Tim Seder later would play in both the National Football League (2000-02, Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars) and the Arena Football League (2005-06, Philadelphia Soul and Kansas City Brigade).

2007 – This edition of Eagle football earned the program's third D-II postseason berth, and the first for head coach Lee Owens at Ashland. AU ended the year at 8-2 and ranked No. 22 in the country, and averaged a whopping 44.0 points per game. Running back Dawon Harvey set a school record with 1,966 all-purpose yards, fellow running back Jon Schroeder scored a school-record 17 rushing touchdowns, and in the 63-42 win at home vs. Wayne State on Nov. 3, the Eagles racked up a school-record 721 yards of total offense.